Andreas Deja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andreas Deja
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At the 35th Annie Awards in 2006
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| Born |
Gdańsk, Poland
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| Occupation | Animator |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Employer | Walt Disney Animation Studios (1981–2011) |
| Awards | Winsor McCay Award, 2006 Disney Legends, 2015 |
Andreas Deja is a famous German-American character animator. He was born in Poland. He is best known for his amazing work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Deja helped bring many well-known Disney characters to life. This includes villains like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin, and Scar from The Lion King. He also animated the main character in Hercules and Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch.
Contents
Early Life and Dreams
Andreas Deja was born in Poland. His family later moved to Germany. When he was 11, he watched Disney's The Jungle Book. This movie made him want to become an animator.
He wrote to Walt Disney Productions right away. He wanted to work for them someday. He received a letter back that he still keeps. The letter told him to draw the world around him. It said to draw his family and animals at the zoo. Deja took this advice very seriously. He knew he had to be a great artist.
After finishing high school, he studied graphic design. He went to the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany.
Becoming a Disney Animator
Andreas Deja was always a big fan of Disney movies. In August 1980, he was hired by the Disney studio. He had been writing to Eric Larson, one of Disney's original top animators. Larson was part of a famous group called the Nine Old Men. These were the main animators who created many classic Disney films.
When Deja started at Disney, he worked on the film The Black Cauldron. He even shared an office with future film director Tim Burton. Deja also looked for advice from the "Nine Old Men." Even though they were retired, he learned a lot from them. He has collected much information about them over the years. He even hopes to write a book about each of them.
Famous Characters He Animated
Deja is most famous for animating some of Disney's most memorable villains. These include Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin, and Scar from The Lion King. He also animated Queen Narissa in Enchanted.
But he didn't just draw villains! He also animated many other beloved characters:
- Roger Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- King Triton in The Little Mermaid
- The main character in Hercules
- Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch
- Mama Odie in The Princess and the Frog
- Tigger in Winnie the Pooh
He is also the expert animator for Mickey Mouse at Disney.
Books and Exhibitions
In 2011, Andreas Deja started a blog. On his blog, he shares drawings and work from early Disney animators.
In 2015, he wrote a book called The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators. This book shares what he learned from those legendary animators.
From 2022 to 2023, Deja was a special guest curator. He helped create an exhibition at The Walt Disney Family Museum. The exhibition was called Walt Disney's The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece. It celebrated the 55th anniversary of The Jungle Book film. He also wrote a detailed book to go along with the exhibition.
As of 2023, he is working on an animated short film called Mushka.
Awards and Honors
Andreas Deja has received important awards for his animation work.
- In 2006, he won the Winsor McCay Award. This award is for amazing contributions to animation.
- In 2015, he was honored as a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo. This is a very special award from Disney.
Film Work
Andreas Deja has worked on many animated films and shorts. Here are some of his most famous projects:
- The Black Cauldron (1985) - Animator
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) - Supervising Animator for Roger Rabbit
- The Little Mermaid (1989) - Supervising Animator for King Triton
- Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Supervising Animator for Gaston
- Aladdin (1992) - Supervising Animator for Jafar
- The Lion King (1994) - Supervising Animator for Scar
- Hercules (1997) - Supervising Animator for Adult Hercules
- Lilo & Stitch (2002) - Supervising Animator for Lilo Pelekai
- Enchanted (2007) - Animator for Queen Narissa
- The Princess and the Frog (2009) - Supervising Animator for Mama Odie
- Winnie the Pooh (2011) - Supervising Animator for Tigger
See also
In Spanish: Andreas Deja para niños
